Crush left homeless by dispute
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Bryce Alderton
Officials with the Costa Mesa-based Orange County Crush basketball
team, on advice from their attorneys, have postponed all scheduled
home games at UC Irvine’s Bren Events Center while ironing out
details of an alleged ticket-pricing discrepancy that also involves
Ticketmaster.
The Crush postponed games Wednesday and Thursday, against Long
Beach and Tijuana, respectively, and no definitive dates for future
home games have been set, Kevin Copeland, the team’s general manager,
said Thursday.
Attorneys from the first-year American Basketball Association
franchise, Ticketmaster and the Bren Center are attempting to resolve
the alleged ticket dilemma that team officials said affected fans
trying to purchase tickets online for the squad’s first home game on
Dec. 9 against Las Vegas.
“We are not happy about what transpired,” Ruben Sanchez, the
Crush’s attorney, said.
Sanchez issued a written statement Thursday, stating the team’s
position.
An excerpt from the statement read, “the Crush remains steadfast
in its position that matters were not handled properly, ultimately
resulting in the loss of Dennis Rodman and ESPN coverage, but the
parties remain hopeful that a resolution can be reached without
having to file a lawsuit.”
Sanchez said he and attorneys from the Bren Center and
Ticketmaster have discussed the matter once and at least one meeting
is planned between the parties. No date is currently set.
“The holidays put a crimp in things because everyone’s off in
different directions,” Sanchez said.
Attempts to reach attorneys from the Bren Center and Ticketmaster
were unsuccessful.
Jim Cohen, UCI’s media relations director, issued a short
statement on the matter last week.
“We are still looking into the facts and circumstances of this
matter,” Cohen said.
“Because there appears to be a dispute, we cannot comment at this
time.”
Copeland received an e-mail from a fan the morning of Dec. 9 that
contained a copy of Ticketmaster’s website, which noted a mysterious
$50 convenience charge for fans wishing to purchase $10
reserved-level tickets.
The Crush, who are 7-1 and sit in second place in the Red (West)
Division behind Utah (11-0), have not played a home game since
defeating Las Vegas, 124-123.
“Until this thing is resolved, we are looking for a temporary home
to finish the season,” Copeland said.
Copeland has spoken with officials at Golden West and Cypress
colleges about the prospect of hosting potential Crush home games.
The team, though, remains committed to securing a location to
stage games at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, Copeland
said.
“[The fairgrounds] is where we want to be,” Copeland said. “We are
going to do whatever we can to get us back there as quickly as
possible.”
A portable tent or “bubble arena” on the fairgrounds’ speedway
track was the original site, but Copeland hinted that other locations
on the property are being considered.
He declined to go into further detail.
Copeland did not rule out a possible return to the Bren Center.
“It’s not a broken relationship,” Copeland said. “This is a legal
move.”
The Crush are scheduled to face host Tijuana Thursday.
“We have to move forward on creating a championship team from
Orange County.”
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